Level.



H. H. MACHIN & G. GOLDEN.

LEVEL.. APPLICATION men N0v 14.1914.

1,159,516. Pammmv. 9, 1915.

" ,lHqa-macHm TGEoRGEGoLoaN level stockconstructed in accordance with s rare no.

HUGO H. MACHIN AND GEORGE GOLDEN, OF LOUISVILLE, ll. i

LEVEL.

Application filed November 14, 1914. Serial No. 872,225.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, HUGO H. MACHIN and GEORGE GOLDEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to levels and particularly to that class of levels in which a bubble glass is used.

An object of our invention is the pro' vision of a very simple and readily operated level of this character so constructed that it may be read with ease from a number of points.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a level having therein a circular bubble tube disposed in which is a globule of mercury and a bubble of air, the air and globule always bearing a fixed relation to each other so that either one will indicate the angle at which the level is disposed.

A further object of the invention is to improve the details of construction of levels of this character and provide for a simple manner of fastening the bubble tube in the stock and provide for a ready removal of the bubble tube in case it is so desired.

A further object of the invention is the provision in connection with a bubble tube of glass of a scale-disposed against the inside face of the glass and entirely housed by the frame within which the bubble tube is mounted.

Further objects will appear in the course of the following description in the accompanying drawings. 1

igure 1 is a face view of a portion of a my invention, part of the stock being broken away; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa face view of a modified form of stock; Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the stock shown in Fig. 3 and the scales and bubble tube; Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of a modified form of bubble tube; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a portion of the stock and through a bubble glass of a modified form; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary face view of the stock shown in Fig. 7 and showing a portlion of the bubble glass mounted in said stoc tion of the bubble the ring 8 which is of In the drawings we have shown a number of different forms of our invention all 0peratmg on the same principle but differing in detail. In the Figs. 1 and 2, the level is provided in connection with a relatively thick stock-and is designed to be read from only one side. In Figs. 3 to 5 however, the bubble tube is disposed in connection with a relatively thin stock and is designed to be read from both sides of the stock.

Patented Nov. 9, 11915. 7

construction illustrated in In the drawings illustrating the first form of my invention, 2 designates a relatively thick stock constructed in any usual or suitable manner and having one face formed with an annular countersink for the receptube 3. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the inner face of this countersink carries upon it the scales 4 and 5, the scale 4 being disposed in the bottom of the countersink, the scale 5 the countersink. 0th of these scales are the same and it is understood that the scales may or may not be made in one piece as may be found most desirable. These scales may be made of paper, celluloid, metal or any other suitable material and are designed to be read through the bubble tube 3. As will be noticed from Fig. 1 each scale is divided into quadrants of 90 each, the zero marks being disposed in diametrical relation on a line extending transversely across the stock while the marks indicating 90 are disposed in diametrical relation but on a line extending longitudinally of the stock. The space between each zero mark and the index coincident with 90 is raduated or divided into degrees.

t will be seen from Fig. 1 that the countersink within which the tube 3 is mounted intersects or nearly intersects the upper face of the stock, the stock being cut-away at this point so as to permit the bubble to be read from the upper face of the stock. A

upon the exterior wall of stock, this plate having downwardly extending flanges 7 which protect the corners of the wood at the cut-away portion. The plate 6 is of course longitudinally slotted immediately above the bubble glass so that the bubble may be read. For the purpose of holding the bubble glass in place, I provide metal or any other suitable material and is 'cut away at one point. The inner margin of this ring is inwardly turned as at 9 and when the bubble glass is in place within its countersink, the inwardly turned flange 9 will engage sli htly over the round surface of the bubble glass and will prevent any outward movement thereof and hold it securely in place. The ring 8 is attached to the stock in any suitable manner as by screws 10 and the ring is cut-away at its upper portion to as to leave the side 0 ening 11 whereby the bubble may be rea The lower edge of the ring is outwardly. flanged at 12' for a purpose to be later stated.

It Wlll be seen that the annular countersink in the stock provides a'central circular portion 13, the face of which is cut-away so as to be below the plane of the face of the stock, and disposed upon thiscentral head 13 is a circular plate 14 held in place by a screw 15, this plate engaging slightly over the rounded surface of the bubble glass with the ring 8 holding the bubble glassfirmly in position. 16 which is pivoted at 17 and which may be turned over the opening in the stock so Disposed within the hollow bubble glass is a sufliciency of alcohol or other fluid medium together with a globule of mercury designated 20, and a bubble of air designated 21. It will of course be seen that the air bubble .will always take'the point of highest elevation within the tube 3 while the mercury will always take the lowest possible point in the tube, and hence the bubble of air and the globule of mercury will be dis osed at recess in the wall of the diametrically opposite at all times. Inasmuch ed into quadrants of 90 each, it is obvious that the angle may be readeither by refererfice to the globule of mercury or the bubble 0 am Preferablythe tube 3 will be in the form of a complete circlebut we do not wish to limit ourselves to this as in some cases we points of t e tube would form the bubble glass as illustrated in Fig. 6 that is, the tube 3- would be bent nearly to a complete circle and closed at the opposite ends, the tube having at one end an outwardly .extending projection throu h which the liquid and mercury might be filled into the tube. This projectlon afterward is sealed, there being of course a countersink into which this projection would be received.

In the form of our invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 a relatively thin stock 22 We preferably provide a cover as the scale is dividis used, the stock being thickened at its upper and lower margins as at 23 and at its ends as at 24, so as to provide a good bearing for the stock when it is placed upon an object being leveled. The stock at its middle is cut-away to provide a circular opening 25 which intersects the top or the stock and disposed within this circular opening and held therein is the bubble tube 26 which is made in exactly the same form as previously described.

Disposed against the faces of the stock on each side of the opening are the annular tube holding members 27 and 28, each of these comprising an annular fiat portion which bears against the face of the stock and an outwardl curving inner flanged portion 29 which ars against the tube 26. These flanged portions 29 extend inward only just sufiicientlv to hold the tube in place and about one-halfthe diameter of the tube is therefore exposed. The stock is cut-. away at 30 and the plates 27 and 28 where they pass over this cut-away portion are themselves cut-away as at 31 exposing the outer margin of the tube. The plates are also cut-away at 32 Where they intersect the upper-edge of the stock so as to expose the tube and form a reading opening. The.

scales 33 are disposed one on. each inside face of each flange 29. As the bubble glassv is transparent these scales may be read through 1 the bubble glass, each scale being read through the bubble glass posite to the scale, thus the angle may be read from either side of the stock. In this case also we desire that the bubble glass may be made either as a complete circle or in the form shown in Fig. 6. In this case also the scales 33 are graduated in quadrants of 90 each, the zero points of the scale being at diametrically opposite points -'on a line extending transversely across the stock while the 90 oints of the scale are located at dia metrically opposite points on a line extending longitudinally of the stock.

t will be understood that the scales used both on the form of level shown in Fig. 1

and the form shown in Fig. .3 shall be of celluloid, paper or like material pressed into shape so as to fit closely against the bubble tube and held in place either by gumming the scale of the tube itself or by packing it with plaster of Paris or some like material. The air bubble and the mercury globule in both levels are of such size that the globule and the bubble will always cover a certain number of degree spaces as for instance five, the middle 0 the bubble or the middle of the globule of mercury of course being read with reference to the nearest index points. The amount of air forming the bubble, and globule respectively has to be measured exactly so that they will cover an exact numfrom the slde bp 7 ber of graduations on the scale as read through the. bubble tubes, the point being that this enables the operator to read the exact angle by reference to the respective bubble and globule of mercury. While we regard the combination of a bubble of air and aglobule of mercury as being of great value in making it possible to read the scale either by looking down from above or looking upward from below, yet we do not wish to be limited to the use of a globule and hubble in combination, as it is within the scope of our invention to use either the globule by itself or the air bubble by itself.

In Figs. 7 and 8 we show a modification wherein the bubble glass insteadjof being a tube arranged to form an annulus is a circular vessel having flat inwardly depressed sides to provide a substantially circular peripheral bulb. This circular vessel is designated 34 and'is provided at one point in its circumference with a filling opening 35.-

or its verticality and that it may be also used as a declinometer.

What we claim is:

1. A level including a stock, a circular bubble glass mounted within the stock and having a bubble containing chamber substantially circular in cross section, the stock being cut away on one edge to expose the bubble glass, and a scale disposed behind the bubble containing chamber and adapted ,to be read through the side of the stock or through the opening in the top of the stock.

2. A level including a stock having a circular bubble glass seat, a circular bubble glass mounted within the stock having a bubble containing chamber substantially circular in cross section, an annular scale disposed within said seat and behind the bubble containing chamber of the glass to be read therethrough, the stock being cut away on one edge to expose the bubble glass whereby said scale may be read either through the glass from the side of the stock or through the glass and through said opening on the edge of the stock.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HUGO H. MACHIN. GEORGE GOLDEN. Witnesses:

GEO. W. LoNoMoRE, ALLAN MCDONALD. 

